2003 NASCAR champion retaliates for Kansas incident

Matt Kenseth crashed rival Joey Logano at Martinsville on Sunday in the first race of the Eliminator Round

Regardless of intent, Joey Logano cost Matt Kenseth a chance to advance in the Chase for the Championship three weeks ago at Kansas Speedway, and the 2003 Sprint Cup Series Champion paid him back on Sunday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway.

Already 10 laps down due to an incident earlier in the race, Kenseth was about to lose another lap to leader Logano when he drove straight into the turn one corner and directly into his rival, destroying both cars in the process.

Logano had led 207 laps and appeared poised to win for the fourth consecutive time this season, a victory that would have sent him to the season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway with a chance to win his first championship.

Now, the Team Penske youngster finds himself eighth on the Chase Grid and 28 points out of a transfer spot, placing him in a must-win situation over the next two races at Texas and Phoenix. Logano felt he had raced the veteran hard at Kansas, but didn’t intentionally wreck him, and didn’t mince words when asked what happened on Sunday.

"I think what happened at Kansas is a completely different deal," Logano said. "We were racing for the win and he blocks you a few times and then we raced hard and he blocked me the last time and we spun out. That’s what happened there. Here it was just a complete coward move, especially for a championship race car driver and race team. Just a complete coward. I don’t have anything else to say. It’s a chicken-you-know-what move to completely take out the leader when your race is over.

"We’ll move on. We’re going to work hard and we’re going get our car back out there hopefully. We’ve just got to go win."

Logano took it a step further, calling Kenseth a "chicken" and a "coward’s move."

For his part, Kenseth feigned intent, saying that his damaged car had a mechanical problem and wouldn’t turn when Logano went to pass him on the outside.

"The splitter was dragging the ground and got into the corner and certainly ruined his day," Kenseth said. "I know what it’s like to be that too. Some days you’re the bat some days you’re the ball. It’s never fun when you’re the ball so like I said disappointing end, a disappointing end to our Chase and he’s got a couple races left, he’s got the best car, he might get a couple of wins here and still have a shot at it."

Kenseth suffered damage in a crash with Brad Keselowski, a Logano teammate, while racing for the lead on Lap 434. The incident also collected Kurt Busch.

Kenseth added that he felt like he needed to do something or risk getting pushed around by Logano in future playoff scenarios.

"You never like to be in these situations," Kenseth said. "They really stink, to be honest with you, but sometimes you get put in these spots and you’ve got to try to keep respect in the garage area.

"You can’t get yourself ran over. You can’t get in the Chase next year and get ran over for the same reason. Like I said, hate the way it ended. Wish we were out there celebrating or having a shot for the win like we did before we got wrecked."

Both drivers were treated and released from the infield care center but kept separated by track officials. Kenseth and crew chief Jason Ratcliff were called to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hauler where they met with tour officials.

NASCAR vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O’Donnell says the league will review the evidence over the next two days and announce any penalties by Tuesday.

"In the case with Matt, we were certainly disappointed with what took place with took place on the racetrack," O'Donnell said. "We had a conversation with Matt, his crew chief and (car owner) Joe Gibbs, like we always do.

"There is a lot to digest from what happened tonight. We’ll do that and we’ll probably have some additional conversations and probably come out with something if there is anything to discuss on Tuesday."

O'Donnell also said there was a "big difference" between what Kenseth did on Sunday at Martinsville and what happened between them at Kansas.

The most significant difference, according to O'Donnell, was that Kenseth was multiple laps down while Logano was racing Jeff Gordon for the win. Gordon went on to win the race and punched his ticket to the Championship Race at Homestead Miami Speedway.

"It was a driver not competing for the win and many laps down when it happened," O’Donnell said. "That’s different then when two drivers really going after it coming out of turn four going for a win."

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